Apparatus for boning and slitting fish



A oct. 7, 1952 R. M. BERGLUND 2,612,652

APPARATUS FOR BONING AND SLITTING FISH 4 Sheets-Sheet l Filed June 24, 1947 EL? A Ill .TIT

ma E lll 2me III-lll y lli l5 @F H dll 1|, {ilhl MJF; gafmmerzund if @www R. M. BERGLUND APPARATUS FOR BONING AND SLITTING FISH Oct. 7, 1952 Filed June 24, 1947 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 GMM/nw@ .WE .mgm

Oct. 7, 1952 R. M. BERGLUND APPARATUS FOR BONING AND SLITTING FISH 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed June 24, 1947 azfhlyefgzwid @A www Guam/nw@ Oct. 7, 1952 R. M. BERGLUND APPARATUS FOR BONING AND SLITTING FISH 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed June 24, 1947 latented Oct. 7, 1952 .l lUNITED STATE APIVARATUS FOR BOIING AND SLITTING FI H..

Ralph Martin Berglund, South Bellingham,

Wash., assigner, by mesne assignments, to Pacic Laboratories, Inc., Bellingham,-Wash., a corporation of Washington Application June 24, 1947, Serial No. '756,669

i 17 Claims.

The present invention relates to apparatus for processing fish. The invention provides for the proper vremoval of the backbone froma whole butchered fish, and for completing the slitting of the fish whereby it is `separated into halves in preparation for the subsequentv Skinning operation. The invention should be distinguished from numerous prior art machines which are concerned with the cleaning of fish, andwhich are not adapted for the exacting requirements of the honing and splitting operations referred to herein.

'Animportant object of the invention is to provide apparatus' which will effectively remove the backbone from the whole but ventrally slit fish, and which will simultaneously sever or slit the fish dorsally throughout by fish halves are separated from the bone and conveyed from the machine for vpresentation to a fish Skinning machine positioned farther on in the processing line. The apparatus described herein is capable of substantially simultaneously separating a ventrally slit fish into three parts, i. e., the backbone (which is removed from the entire length of the sh, head to tail) and the two vbody halves. An important feature of the invention is the retaining of the sh in whole form throughout its movement through the machine, and up to the point where the final and most important operations take place, i. e., the removalof the backbone ting of the fish. By reason of the fact that the fish is retained iny its whole form during movement through the machine, it may be handled with greater facility and may be presented with greater accuracy to the apparatus for removalignment with the knife or other tool provided for separating and removing the backbone. In developing the apparatus disclosed herein, I have found that the backbone can best be presentedv to the removing device by keeping the fish in whole condition, although vent/rally slit, and moving it along a rail which supports the backbone of the fish, the backbone removing device being fixed in position in alignment with its entire length, whereand the dorsal slitthel backbone requires the` presentation of the fish in accurate horizontal` the path of movement of the backbone along said rail.

The apparatus which I have devised are intended to perform theabove functions on fish which may vary to a considerable extent in size. A furtherpurpose of the invention isA to provide equipment and methods which will remove the' backbone and separate the fish into halves, without cutting away and-wasting tender parts of flesh'adjacent the backbone of the fish. The present invention is to be distinguished from numerous prior art devices which slit the body of the fish along spaced `lines to remove the back. bone together with the flesh of the fish' adjacent thereto, or various prior art devices which are relatively crude in their operation, in that they gouge out the backbone with resulting injury to the fiesh of the fish, and Waste thereof.

A further object of the invention is to kprovide for the removal of the backbone andthe separation of the fish into halves, in such manner that the end product delivered from the machine is in the most desirable condition for presentation to fish-Skinning apparatus, llocated farther on in the processing line. In a co-pending application of Gottfried E. Hube, a fish Skinning machine is disclosed, comprising a rotating drum around which thesh halves are carried, there being Skinning knives presented toward' the drum to remove the skin from the flesh. The successful operation of such a skinning machine is greatly enhanced by presentation off-ish halves thereto which are in firm and tidy condition, as distinguished from the torn and otherwise distorted condition which resulted from the use of prior art equipment employed in slitting the fish, `or in removing the backbone therefrom.

A further object of the invention is to provide a machine of the above type which is highly mechanical, capable of great speed, compact, and which requires only a limited number of operators. The machine of this invention may be usefully` employed in a canning plant as a part of the line of machinery, the fish being moved in an" orderly way from the fish bin to the butchering device, thence to the apparatus of this invention wherein the fish is slit and the bone removed, thereafter proceeding to the skin ning device and to the cutter and can filling apparatus.

In general, the machine disclosed herein comprises a central longitudinal rail along which the slit fish are carried by side conveyor chains equipped with laterallygpresented spikes which Lproper presentationof the backbone to the ,ing device, as will be apparent. Y Y There are a number of cooperating elements halves. yielding centering guides which stabilize the -ish during its 'movement along the central rail,

both against undesirable horizontal and ver-f' 3 impale the sh. At the entrance end of the machine, there is a retractible horse which serves to properly dispose the iish on the rail, dorsal` side up, and with the backbone of the fish indexed on the rail for inal presentationY of the bone remover at the exit endof the machine. It will be'understood that the iish which are presented to this machine have ordinarily been operated on by a butchering device known as an;

iron chink, which cleans out the belly cavity, removes the dorsal and ventral fins as well as.

the head and tail parts, but does not slitthe sh on the ventral side ffromthe anus'to the tail.

Adjacent to the horse of the machine, there isi a.-

lower cutting disc which completes the slitting of the butchered fish. At the discharge end of the machine there is an upper cutting discvwhichl completely opens the iish at its dorsal side at the same time that the backbone is removed from the iish. A whole though ventrally slit sh is `conveyed throughout. substantially the entire length of the machine. By processing 'the sh in thisl condition, great advantage is had in bonin the organization of the `machine disclosed herein, all of which form an important .part of the invention as' theycooperate toward the final operations performed,^i. e., the removal of the backbone and the dorsal' slitting ofthe sh into These cooperating elements include tical movements. These guides, as well asother elements includingtheretractible horse for properly delivering the iish to the/conveyor, are of such. design asto beuseful with sh of widely varying size.

In the drawings; .which are of 'a presently preferred` "form of the .apparatus which has been found to be successful inf carrying out the invention.

Figure 2 is a Aside elevational viewv of the machine, partly insection.

` Figure 3 isa transverse vertical sectional .view of the machine, takerrvery near the outlet end l thereof on the 1ine`3'.3uof'1igure 2. v

Figure 4 is aV longitudinal vertical sectional fview through the machine, taken along; the li'ne .s-A of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is apartialtransverse sectional view of the machine, showing the arrangement of the guiding ngers for the fish, the View being taken along the line 5 5 of Figure 4 with-certain parts omitted in order to simplify the view.

Figure 6 is a side view of an upper pair-of yieldable fish guiding members which cooperate with the supporting rail and the moving conveyors.4

K trating the mannery in which the sh is presented Figure 1 is a top plan view of the equipment as.. l referred to above.

4 to the guide rail and to the ventral cutting knife by the retractible horse.

Figure l0 is a similar view at the exit end of machine, showing the important simultaneous action of the dorsal slitting knife and the backbone removingv implement. 1 r

Figure 11 is another view illustrating-v the important operations just referred to. The View may be considered as taken along the line I I-i l ofV Figure 10 looking upwardly, with the'backbone removing device in section to illustrate its action, the plates for stripping the sh halves from the' side conveyor chains also being illustrated.

'FigurelZ i-san enlarged side view which illustratesY the close cooperative action of the dorsal slitting knife and a backbone removing implement of therotary tube type.

Figure 13 is a similar view showing the use of a modified type of backbone removing device.

As previously indicated, the machine herein is designed to perform the following operations: (a) to slitvthe ventral" side. of'` 'the sh to the tail end, (b)v toA slit thedorsal sideto the backboneover the entiretlength olf the butchered sh, (c)- simultaneouslywith (b) tok borev outy the entire length ofthe backbone in acontrolledandaccurate-manner, and d) to remove` andV place the boned and slit halves ofthe iish ona'cionveyorwhich leads to the Skinning equipment.

In my earlier application',` Serial No. 669,344 iiled May lf3', 1946, now Patent No. 2,534,219-, yissued December 12, 1950, I disclosed certain apparatus and methods for boningrfish, in which a pre-slit sh is presented to av machine with the bone adhering to one half.l thereof, and'` by means of the instrumentalitiesV disclosed therein, the bone is removed from'thisfone-ha'lf part ofthe fish. The present invention isf an improvement over the machine discljosedfin: that earlier application. With the process of the earlier application, it is necessary' to split thesh ina separate operation prior to boningv the machine disclosed. Obviously, it is 'advantageous to keep a whole fish moving in one line up to the peint where it is slit and made ready for presentation to the Skinning apparatus, instead of handling two lines comprising respectively fish halvesv without bones and fish vhalves-with bones.

The general combination oivthe. machine of the present invention is perhaps. best illustrated in Figures l and 4 wherein the various instrumentalities to be described are shown supported from a at table surface T which is supported from the i'loor by a suitable number of frame members including legs L. MountedI on and above the table,` and extending longitudinally through the machine there iga vwhole sh supporting rail R. AThe sh are carried through the machine and along the top'edge of the rail by side chain conveyors Ci The iish are properly delivered. to the rail whileV being initially moved by the conveyor,` lwith the assistance of a retractible horse H centrally positioned on ythe table at the entrance'e'nd of Ythe machine and in central alignment with the rail R. Also near the lentrance end of' the machine, and located just below the top'surfacel of the rail R, there is a lrotating knife V for completing the ventral slitand also longitudinally aligned with the rail R and just above` the same, is a second slitting whereby the backbone is removed and the fish is cut into separate halves, the latter being carried away toward the fish skinning apparatus located 'farther on in the processing line by any suitable conveyor B, such as one ofthe belt type..

The rail R is longitudinally and centrally supported above the table T by brackets i0.' It has a straight top edge l2 (Figure 4) which is parallel to the table top. rlihis edge serves to index or align the backbone of the fishv for proper presentation to the fish boning and slitting apparatus hereinafter described in detail. The rail R serves as a support for `the whole` fish throughout the larger part of its movement through the machine. rlhis rail should be of such appropriate length that the working parts previously mentioned can be spaced from one another to operate on the fish as they are continuously and successively fed through the machine. The

rail R is cut downwardly in an arcuate manner' at its end facing the entrance of the machine, as at i4, (Figure 4) leaving a somewhat pointed end edge I6 which partially overlies the top cutting edge of the ventral slitting knife V. This edge prevents the fish from dropping down and being cut through or past the backbone.v The ventral slitting knife may be said to be located beneath the top edge I2 of the rail R, although its diameter and the position of its shaft I8 (suitably journalled on the frame) are such that the peripheral cutting edge of the knife passes through a horizontal plane which constitutes a continuation of the top edge l2 of the rail R in a direction toward the entrance end of the machine.

The horse I-I which delivers the butchered fish onto the rail R and presents the fish to the cutting knife V, comprises a top plate 20 longitudinally positioned in the plane of the rail R and knife V, and a pair of links 22 which are pivoted to the plate 2D and to a suitable bracket 23 on the table T, as at 24 and 26 respectively. A tension spring 28 forming a part of the horse assembly normally maintains the horse in its upright position, which is that of the full lines in Figure 4 of the drawings. `When in the upright position, the top edge 3i! of the plate 2B of the horse is in the same plane as the top edge I2 of the rail and the top cutting edge of the ventral slitting knife V. The spring 28 is shown suitably connected between the top plate 2U of the horse and the bracket 23 attached to the table top. The spring 28 tends to swing the links 22 counter-clockwise around their pivots 2li as viewed in Figure 4 until the iiat lower endsof the links abut against the table top as is ap parent from this view. Downward pressure exerted on the top plate 20 of the lhorse wlil depress the horse by swinging the links 22 clockwise around pivots 26 against the action of the spring 28. y

Referring now to Figure 1, a fish F isr shown being fed into the machine longitudinally .toward the rail R. The body of a fish thus deliveredis impaled by pins 34 which are projected inwardly from the moving conveyors C. The conveyor flights converge at the inlet end and diverge at the outlet end of the machine (Figure 1) and travel parallel to one another between these ends. When pins 34 engage the fish, they pull it inwardly over the ventral slitting knife V and onto and along the rail R. As shown in Figure 9, the sh F when butchered is ven-v trally slit from its head toward itsvtail along a line 36 which may be considered to bethe lower side of the backbone of the sh, the conventional butchering operation involving suchr a ventral cut back to the anus area 38 where the `cut ceases, the fish beinguncut from area 3S to its tail. The iish is initially positioned on the horse H as shown in Figure 9 andis pushed along thev top member 20 of the horse (which is in its elevated condition) until the sides of the fish vare impaled by the pins 34 extending from the moving conveyor. By reason of the location of 'the top-edge of the plate 2l! in the plane of the top vedge of the rail R, the fish will be properly aligned and delivered onto the top'of the `rail as it is initially carried into the machine across the ventral slitting knife V. When thearea 38 of thefiish reaches theend of `the plate 2G of the horse, the latter is retracted' downwardly as Viewed in Figure 9, i. e., in such manner that the links 22 of the horse assume the depressed positions 22 against the tension of the spring `28. The retraction of the horse thus permits the fish to continue inward movement fed with its backbone in proper alignment just above and on top edge l2 of the rail R. When the area 38 at the end of the belly out in the fish meets the ventral slitting knife V, as indicated by the broken line position of the fish at F in Figure 9, the knife V completes the ventral slitting of the-,fish by opening it fromv the anus area 38 to the tail, and accurately andk evenly along the lower side of the backbone' of the fish.

In order to further insure the accurate positioning ofthe fish as it is delivered to the rail R and the knife v first sets4 of opposite yieldable guiding fingers G' are provided at the entrance end of the machine. These fingers are fixed at their outer ends to vertical shafts 44, said shafts being mounted for turning movement in hollow posts 45 on the table T, the lower ends of these opposite shafts extending below the table and be-v Areferred to is such that when a sh is fed into the machine as indicated in Figure 1, the outwardly curved leading edges of the ngers G are urged outwardly by the fish, for instance, to the interrupted line position as shown, the yielding action of the lingers serving to properly support and centralize the fish .on the rail R, it being Y noted that these fingers act to support and guide the vfish as it is moving into or toward the proper position on the rail R and over the knife V.

Referring to Figure 6, it will be observed that this vguiding means G consists of apair of guiding elements 50 and 52 which are vertically spaced from one anothenjthe lower element 52 having an end portion which diverges downwardly somewhat from element 50 'so that the pairs of elements will support the fish both against lateral and vertical movements on'the rail R. It will be understood that the top one of each pair of fingers is designed to contact the fish at a point slightly above the horizontal perimeter of the sh as it passes along the retractible horse, while the lower one of each pair of fingers is designed to contact the fish just below its horizontal perimeter. When the horse is retracted the lower fingers (counterbalanced by the upper fingers) keepl the fish in a horizontal position as it moves from the horse to the rail.

The above described control of the delivery of the fish to the rail is of pronounced importance. Any tendency of the tail of the fish to drop down as the horse retracts, thus displacing the fish from the desired exact horizontal alignment and proper vertical location is avoided by the control described. With the top rail of the retractible horse providing central support Within the fish, the pairs of guides on opposite sides of the fish receive and support it above and below its perimeter, in a manner similar to the receiving of the fish into a tube, whereby it is properly supported against both horizontal and vertical displacement, and is delivered in proper position with its backbone properly directed ontcthe rail and over the knife V, being then carried along by the spikes of the conveyor which engage the fish when it is properly positioned in the manner referred to. Obviously, other equivalent mechanisms could be designed to accomplish the same purposes, such as properly arranged guiding rollers or concave guiding plates. I

By reason of the position of the guiding fingers G', as shown particularly in Figure 1, the butchered fish may be placed head end first on the retractible horse with its body cavity down, and manually pushed ahead through the rst set of centralzing fingers which guide the fish into proper engagement with the spikes 34 of the conveyor. The conveyor then pulls the body cavity of the fish past the central knife, suliicient pressure being exerted to depress the retractible horse when the anus area is-reached as previously described. The retraction of the horse exposes the central part of the sh from the anus to the tail to the action of, the'circular knife V as the, fish is pulled onto and along the stationary rail R.

As has been previously mentioned, the n iostimportant function performed by the machine is the removal of the backbone, and the simultaneous dorsal slitting of the fish throughout its .entire length, to separate it into halves. Referring to Figures, 4 and 12, it will be observed that the backbone removing implementA is located in alignment 'with the rail R, being presented in a longitudinal direction toward the movement of the fish, and located just above the top edge I2 of the rail R. The dorsal slitting knife D is of such diameter, and is'mounted on a shaft 5,6 supported in an upper extension of the frame at such distanceV that the knife D sweeps through a path longitudinally of the rail R with its cutting edge spaced a slight distance above the top edge l2 of said. rail. The cutting edge is so located that itis spaced .from the top edge of the rail R a distance substantially equal to the average diameter of'a fish backbone.

The preferred embodimentof the backbone removing implement is shown in detail in Figures lil and 12. This implement is supported by a plate 58 which is bolted to and depends from an overhead supporting plate `60, the latter being supported above and on the table T by suitable legl members `62. The cutting element comprises a driventube 64 journalled for rotation in a longitudinal opening 66 extending through the lower thickened portion of the separating plate B. At the forward end of this tube, there is a removablehollow cutter 68 (threaded into hthe end of the tube). This cutter has a forward circular cutting edge l0, and is inwardly beveled from said cutting edge H1-to a threaded or grooved interior 12,! which connects with the hollow bore '14 ures 2 and 4) The backbone removing implement is located `with its axis in the planeA ofthe rail R and is positionedbetween the top edge l2 of the rail and the peripheral cutting edge of the slitting knife D as shown in Figure 12. As the ventrally slit fish is carried to the end of the rail R, while supported thereon with its backbone just above the top edge I2 of said rail, the end of the backbone of the fishy near its head is accurately 'guided'into the bore of the cutting implement which boreis defined by the cutting edge 1D. When the backbone enters the end of the cutting implement, further movement of the conveyor forces the fish along and around the cutting implement. The cutting implement, which is rotating at high speed (for instance at about 1200 R. P. M.) performs a clean cut along and around the backbone, the backbone passing through the opening 74 in the tube 64 in the manner shown in Figure 1l, discharging from the outer end of the tube 64 as shown. I have found that a slight internal taper at the cutting edge of the hollow cutter assists in funneling the bone through the cutter while preventing the latter from cutting through the bone out into the flesh of the fish. Simultaneously with the action of the backbone removingrcutter, as described, the rapidly rotating dorsal slitting knife cuts down'into the dorsal side of the fish, substantially to its backbone, and this cut is effected along the top side of the fish throughout its entire length. As the backbone is removed and the dorsal slit is completed, the conveyor B carries the opposite fish halves 82 and 84 outwardly into separated relationship, vthe operation being facilitated by the action of the plate 58 which is located above the backbone removing device and immediately beyond the dorsal slitting knife D. The plate 58 is provided with an arcuate cut away side 86 (Figure 12) so that its action in separating the fish halves is immediate, following the cutting action of the dorsal slitting knife D. The simultaneous action of the cutting implement 68 and the dorsal slitting knife is illustrated in Figure 10. f

In order to insure that the backbone is properly centered at the time it is presented to the backbone removing implement, second sets of yieldable guides' G2 are provided, there being upper and lower of such guides on each side of the machine, same consisting of fingers 9U and 92 pivoted to rock shafts vertically mounted in the frame, with free and yieldable ends which engage the fish and center same as it approaches the exit end of the rail R. The manner in which these guides are mounted is best shown in Figures l rand 2. The trailing ends of each of the upper fingers 98 are connected'with blocks 94 which are inv turn secured to vertical rock shafts A96 (Figure 1) suitably journalled for turning movement in posts 91 depending head support 6l. Mounted above the overhead support 60, there are inwardly directed levers 98 and L08, secured tothe shafts 9B, and a link 102 from the overfor turning movement is pivotedbetween rthe free ends of the levers 9B and |00, respectively at pivot points |04 and |06. A tension spring |08 is connected at one end to an extension of the link |02 beyond rthe pivot point |04, and at its other end to a pin eX- tending above the top face of the overhead support B0.. vWith Vthe lever action described,.it will be apparent that the tendency of spring |08 is to maintain the ngers 9|) in their innermost position, as illustratedin Figurel. However, as a fish approaches the dorsal slitting knife D and the backbone removing device, it will engage the fingers 90 and move them outwardly, but said fingers will exert a suicient and uniformly applied pressure to hold the fish in proper central position on the rail'.

As illustrated in Figures 2 and .4, the second set of guides includes opposite lower guiding fingers 92 mounted in substantially the same vmanner to .provide yielding pressure against the lower areas of the-sides ofthe fish to properly centerit. The endsof the. fingers 92 are carried by blocks ||2 which are secured t0 vertical shafts ||`3 mounted through the table T, there being similar link and lever combinations ||4v4 controlled by a similar spring H6 -connected thereto, and to the table, in order to provide the uniformity of pressure by the lower guiding fingers 92 on opposite sides of `the rail R.

It will be tion of the link vand lever mechanisms mounted above the `overheadsupport 60 is applicable to the link and lever mechanism 46 with its spring 48 which was' more generally vdescribed in connection with the operation of the rst set of guides G1 located adjacentthe inletend of the machine.

In order to improve the action of the slitting discs 4 V and D, water jets and ||8 may be provided extending on opposite sides thereof, as indicated in Figure 4.

Where the conveyor divergesoutwardly, and: beyond the boning mechanism A,-there are suitable scraper plates mounted in depending relation from the overhead support, these plates being properly positioned to separate the slit `fish halves 82 and 84 (Figure 1l) from the spikes of the conveyor, andwhen s0 separated, these halves drop down ontoqthe conveyor belt B (Figures 1, 2,.and 4),` which carries the fish halves off to the point where they are fed to the lfish Skinning machiner. g .y f

In substitution for the hollowtubular cutter B as previously described, a mill-like toothed cutter A may be provided, as Ashownin Figure 13. This milling -cutter is mountedona horizontal shaft |22 which is suitably rotated at high speed and is provided with teeth |24l whichconstitute cutting surfaces likewise positioned inalignment with the upper edge |2 of. the-rail. R, and these teeth act-.in a zone immediately beneath the cutting edge of the slitting knife D and above the top edge t2 'of 'rail R.` This milling cuttei` may be connected. with the power drive of the machine inl any suitable way,and when rotated at high' speed, it will perform a function similar to that performed'by the hollow tubular cutter previously disclosed.v The teethof this cutter'enga'ge the backbone and carry it away fro thelslit halves oftheflsh. i D

The mechanism described' herein may be operated from any suitable source of power, andby any well known `rconvention'al drivingmechanisms. For purposes of"l illustration, however, I

have shown the vrprimary source, of power as a understood that the specific descripmotor M (Figures2 and 4) which drives a shaft by means'of the belt.connection |32. The shaft is provided on its-.end on the opposite side of the frame from the motor with-a sprocket I3| as shown in Figure 2, andan endless-drive chain |34 connects this sprocket with sprockets on the shafts I8 and 5S, in order to turn the slitting knivesV and D respectively. Obviously, the designs of the sprockets or other connections may be varied in order to obtain thedesired speeds of rotation, and any. type of control mechanisms may be employed such .as conventional change speed gears and the like. .d y

By a suitable worm connection at |35, a Vertical shaft |35l within a gearbox |38 is operated (Figures 4 and 8), and by suitable chain connections |40, a vertical shaft |42 is driven, the upper end of said shaft having afsprocket |44 thereon (Figure 1) ywhich is the .drive for the chains |45 of one ofthe sidefconveyor flights C.

vThere is lan idler shaftf |(|8 withl asprocket wheel thereon for the conveyorv iii'ghtat the opposite end of the machineas also shown vin Figure yl.

Returning to Figure 8, there is a further driving chain connection. between the shaft |42 and a shaft |52, this being vthedrive shaft which extends upwardly throughthe frame and is provided with a sprocket |54 thereon which drives the opposite conveyor night as shown in Figure 1 The shaft |56 with sprocket thereon, shown at the opposite end of this conveyorflight, is an idler operating in a manner similar to the shaft The shaftv |52 iscaused to. rotate in a direcing around the sprocket |59 on ,the idler shaft |58 with the chain ,|50 meshing with a sprocket |53on the shaft |52 as'shown in this gure.

It will be apparent that by lthe combination of closely cooperating elements disclosed herein,

yI have provided a compact and highly mechanical machine which performs the slitting and bonmg yoperations with great precision. By kthe arrangement of partsv described `andclaimed. ac-

curate :bone removal and the slitting of the lishinto halves is simultaneously accomplished.

Iclaimr l. Apparatus for removingl the backbone from fish which may vary in size, comprising a frame, an elongatedrail mounted on said frame having a sh receiving end and a fish 4discharging end,

said rail having a top horizontal surface forv engaging beneath the lower side of the backbone of a ventrally slit iish to align the backbone in parallel relation on the top 'of .said rail, a rotary backbone removing implement mounted on said frame at said Vdischarge .end and in alignment with said rail, 'said implement including cutting y surfaces forv separating the backbone from. the.

flesh ofthe sh positioned-in the longitudinal path of movement of the backbone ofthe fish along said railandslightly above the top surfaces thereof, -a rotary. knife mounted on saidv frame above saidrail adjacent said discharge end and spaced from said top surface of said rail a proper distance` to slitthe shdorsally throughout its I entire length down tothe top side of the. backbone of the fish, means on said frame for rotating said implement and said; knife, and vmeans mounted on said frame lfor conveying the ventrally slit sh along said rail and past said knife and said implement.

2. constructionin accordance with 'claim 1 wherein a separating plate is provided on said 1 l frame in alignment with said rail and beyond said knife to separate the fish into halves after the backbone is removed and the dorsal slitting of the sh is completed.

3. Apparatus for removing the backbone from fish which may vary in size, comprising a frame, an elongated rail mounted on said frame having a fish receiving end and a fish discharging end, said rail having a top horizontal surface for engaging beneath the lower side of the backbone of a ventrally slit fish to align the backbone in parallel relation on the top of said rail, a rotary backbone removing implement mounted on said frame at said discharge end and in alignment with said rail, said implement including cutting surfaces for separating the backbone from the nesh of the fish positioned in the longitudinal path of movement of the backbone of the fish along said rail and slightly above the top surface thereof, a rotary cutting disc positioned immediately above said implement and with its cutting edge closely adjacent to the cutting surfaces of said implement which is adapted to effect a dorsal cut along the entire length of the fish substantially down to the top side of the backbone, said disc being adapted to slit the fish into two halves simultaneously with the removal of the backbone from the fish, means on said frame for rotating said implement andsaid slitting disc, and means mounted on said frame for conveying the ventrally slit fish along said rail and past said disc and said implement.

4. A construction in accordance with claimA 3 wherein said conveying means comprises conveyor chains moving along opposite sides of said rail having spikes. to impale the sides of the fish and to thereby propel it Yalong said rail, and wherein yieldable guides are mounted on said frame to engage the sides of the fish in order to centralize it on said rail as it is moved by said conveyor, said guides being positioned to engage and centralize the sh as it is presentedto said implement and said cutting disc.

5. Apparatus for removing the backbone from fish which may vary in size comprising a frame, an elongated rail mounted on said frameh-aving a fish receiving end and a fish dischargingl end, said rail having a top horizontal surface for engaging beneath the lower side of the backbone of a ventrally slit fish to align the backbone in parallel relation on the top of said rail, a rotary knife mounted on said frame with its cutting edge positioned below said top surface for effecting the completion of a ventral cut to the tail-of the fish, a rotary backbone removing implement mounted on said frame at said discharge end and in alignment .with said rail, said implement including cut-` ting surfaces for separating the backbone from the esh of the sh positioned in the longitudinal path of movement of the backbone of the fish along said rail and slightly above the top surface thereof, means on said frame forl rotating said implement and said knife, and means mounted on said frame for conveying the fish along said rail and past saidV knife and said implement.

6. Apparatus for removing the backbone from fish which may vary in size, comprising a frame,

an elongated rail mounted on said frame having a fish receiving end and a fish discharging end, said rail having a top horizontal surface for engaging thev lower-side of the backbonefof a ventrally slit fish to align the backbone in parallel relation on the top of said raila rotary cu-tting knife mounted on said frame adjacent said receiving end and having a cutting edge -movable below 12 the top surface of said rail for effecting the completion of the ventral slitting of the fish to its tail, a rotary backbone removing implement mounted on said frame at said discharge end and in alignment with said rail, said implement including cutting surfaces for separating the back-- bone from the flesh of the fish positioned in the longitudinal path of movement of the backbone of the sh along said rail and slightly above the top surface thereof, a rotary knife mounted on said frame above said rail adjacent said discharge end and spaced from the top surface of saidv rail `a proper distance to slit the fish dorsally throughout its entire length downto the top side of the backbone o-f the fish, means on said frame for rotating said implement and said knives, and means mounted on said frame for conveying the ventrally slit fish along said rail and past said knives and said implement. c

'7. In apparatusof the character described, a frame, an Velongated rail on said frame having a fish receiving end and a fish discharging end, said rail having a top horizontal surface for engaging beneath the lower side of the backbone of a ventrally split fish, a retractible horse mounted on said frame for delivering a fish to said rail at its receiving end, said horse comprising a plate p-ositioned in the plane o-f said rail and having a top edge for engaging beneath the backbone of a butchered fish, and .means for normally supporting said plate with its top edge located subst-antially in the plane of the top surface of said rail, a fish slitting disc mounted on said frame positioned in the plane of said rail at'the receiving end thereof and between said rail and said horse, said slitting disc having a cutting edge which is operable through the horizontal plane of the top surface of said rail, said supporting means for said plate being yieldable to permit said plate to be depressed by the unslit rear portion of the ventral side of a butchered fish as the latter is moved alo-ng lsaid plate toward said rail, whereby the rear end of Ythe fish is evenly split to the backbone from the anus to the tail and the fish delivered onto said rail with its backbone disposed in proper horizontallalignment on said rail.

8. A construction in accordance with claim 7 wherein conveyor chains for carrying the fish along said rail are'v provided on opposite sides thereof, said chains havingv pins to impale the opposite sides of the fish as it is delivered to said rail from said horse. l

9.- A construction in accordance with-claim 7 wherein yieldable side guides are provided on said frame to engage the body of the fish on its opposite sides above its maximum lateral diameter to centralize-the fish and restrain it against undesired vertical displacement as it is delivered fromsaid-horse-to said rail.

10. A construction in accordance with claim 7 wherein a conveyor'is provided mounted on said frame for carrying the fish along said rail, said conveyor having means for gripping the fish when carrying the same, andiwhere'in' yieldable side guides are provided on said frame to'efngage theV body of the fish on its opposite sides above ,and below itsmaximum lateralv diameter to centialize the fish and restrain it against undesired vertical and lateraldi'splacement as it is delivered from said horse to said rail. y f

l1'. In apparatus of the character described, a frame, a longitudinal rail on'said'frame on which a ventrally split sh maybe supported for inove'i-y'-,

ment-.with its backbonejabove4 said rail', a' con; veyor mounted on said frame havingineans forI gripping a fish and carrying it along said rail, and means for delivering the fish to position where it is gripped by said means on said conveyor comprising a horse having a top plate along which the ventrally split sh is moved, and yieldable guides on opposite sides of said rail having means to engage and support the fish at spaced points against either upward or downward displacement, whereby to present the fish to said rail while engaged by the conveyor gripping means with the backbone of the fish in proper alignment with respect to the top of said rail.

12. Apparatus for removing the backbone from sh which may vary in size, comprising a frame, an elongated rail mounted in said frame having a fish receiving end and a fish discharging end,

said rail having a top horizontal surface for engaging beneath the lower side of the backbone of a ventrally slit fish to align the backbone in parallel relation on the top of said rail, a rotary backbone removing implement mounted at said discharge end and in alignment with said rail, a knife mounted above said implement for simultaneously slitting the iish dorsally into halves las the backbone is removed, a retractible horse having a top plate aligned with said rail to support the backbone of the fish while delivering same to said rail, a knife at said receiving end for completing the ventral cut of a butchered iish as it isdelivered to said rail, a conveyor having means for gripping the sh and for carrying it along and from said rail, and yieldable guides on said frame for engaging the fish to support it against vertical and lateral displacement as it is fed to said knives, rail and backbone removing implement.

13. Apparatus for removing the backbone from fish comprising a frame, a fixed elongated relatively thin flat rail mounted in a vertical plane on said frame and having fish receiving and discharging ends, said rail having an uninterrupted top horizontal surface for engaging beneath the lower side of the backbone of a ventrally slit fish to support the sh in straddling relation on the rail and to align the backbone in parallel relation on the top of said rail, a backbone removing implement mountedv on said frame at the discharge end of said rail and in alignment with the top surface of said rail, said implement having cutting surfaces movable in the path of the backbone of the fish and operable to separate the backbone from the flesh of the sh, means on said frame for actuating the cutting surfaces of said implement, and a conveyor mounted on said frame for moving the ventrally slit fish along said rail and past said implement.

14. A construction in accordance with claim 13 wherein a knife having cutting surfaces for slitting the dorsal side of the sh to its backbone from head to tail is mounted on said frame and above said implement, said knife having means to actuate its cutting surfaces simultaneously with the action of said implement to split the fish into halves as the bone is removed therefrom.

15. Apparatus for removing the backbone from fish comprising a frame, a fixed elongated relatively thin fiat rail mounted in a vertical plane on said frame and having fish receiving and discharging ends, said rail having Aan uninterrupted top horizontal surface for engaging-beneath the lower side of the backbone of a ventrally slit fish to align the backbone in parallel relation on the top of said rail, -a backbone removing implement mounted on said frame adjacent the discharge end of said rail and having cutting surfaces movable through a path just beyond the end of the top surface of said rail and slightly above the same, means on said frame for actuating the cutting surfaces of said implement to separate the backbone from the flesh of the fish, a conveyor mounted on said frame for moving the ventrally slit sh Ialong said rail and past said implement, a circular knife mounted on said frame above saidvimplement and having a cutting edge for slitting the dorsal side of the fish to its backbone from head to tail, and means on said frame for rotating said knife at high speed whereby to split the sh into halves as the bone is removed therefrom.

16. A construction in accordance with claim 15 wherein said implement comprises a mill cutter mounted on a shaft on said frame and whose cutting surfaces are peripheral teeth.

17. A construction in accordance with claim 16 wherein means are provided on said frame to yieldably support the fish on said rail against lateral and vertical displacement as the fish approaches said implement.

RALPH MARTIN BERGLUND. y

REFERENCES CITED vThe following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,175,601 Carson Mar. 14, 1916 1,365,575 Waugh Jan. 11, 1921 1,470,807 Carr Oct. 16, 1923 1,709,362 Meissner et al. Apr. 16, 1929 

